The Long Walk Home
by ish.the.abstract
Summary: Kakashi falls for Kurenai and asks if he could walk her home, along the way they see some strange things. Main:kakakure, slight naruhina, shikaino, nejiten, sasusaku. rated T for language


**Author's note:** please review!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto though I really, really, REALLY wish I did.

**Bold letters- **Kakashi's real thoughts

**_Bold Italics_**- Kakashi's inner thoughts

_Italics_-Kurenai's thoughts

**The Long Walk Home**

She was his comrade; he was well aware of that. She was the sensei of the shy Hyuuga, the bug boy, Shino and the dog lover, Kiba.

Sure, he respected her as a fellow jounin. She was only his colleague.

_**But she's a close friend too.**_

But why is he here under the blistering heat watching her meditating in the middle of the forest, just meditating?

_**Because you love her.**_

The voice in the back of his head was telling him things.

**I do?**

_**You do**, _it stated firmly.

**How? Why?**

_**Does love need a reason?**_

It was just now that he realized that he had fallen deeply in love with her before he can help himself. He didn't show but now, he just can't help it. He had to see her. So there he was enduring the almost fatal heat of the sun watching his red-eyed beauty meditating.

**-----00000000------**

Kurenai opened her eyes; someone was watching her. After deciding that it was just her imagination, she went back to what she was doing.

There was a nagging feeling in her chest and now, she was sure someone was watching.

Kakashi wasn't the person to be caught off guard but due to his undivided attention to the jounin in front of him, he was when Kurenai disappeared and an icy voice behind him spoke.

"What are you doing here?"

Kakashi turned around. Her eyes were flashing dangerously.

"Uhhmm…watching" he said weakly.

"Watching what?"

"You" he said.

"Why were you watching me?" Kurenai deadpanned. Now that was the question of the century.

"…"

"Hatake Kakashi, why were you watching me?"

"Because.." Kakashi continued.

"What?" Kurenai was irritated.

"Because I thought….uhmm.." he said slowly.

_What is he trying to say? Kakashi is not the type of guy who stutters. Kakashi doesn't stutter!_ Kurenai thought.

"Go on," she said.

"I thought…uhmm…Ithoughtyouweresobeautifulmeditating" Kakashi blushed under his mask.

"What? I didn't quite catch that." she said impatiently.

"You…you were so beautiful meditating."

"…" Kurenai blushed.

"Uhmm…I..I have to go now," Kakashi said after a minute of silence.

"okay," she said. She was now as red as her eyes.

Just as Kakashi was about to leave, he turned around.

"Kurenai?"

"Yes?"

"Can I walk you home?'

"uhm.."

"It's okay if you say no"

"No, it's alright, I mean, sure." she said shyly.

It was almost sunset and the two were walking slowly home. Their hands were brushing from time to time.

First, they passed through Ichiraku's ramen stand. There was Naruto being extremely loud and there was Hinata being extremely shy.

Kurenai chuckled and Kakashi couldn't help but glance at her angelic face.

"Looks like our students are dating" Kurenai said.

"Yeah, Naruto isn't so dense after all" Kakashi replied in his oh-so-cool voice.

Just then, a piercing scream caught everyone's attention.

"SHIKAMARU!"

"Huh?" Kakashi said as Ino came along literally dragging Shikamaru.

"How troublesome", came his signature phrase.

Kurenai again chuckled at this. Kakashi sweatdropped as Ino stopped to greet both jounins and continued cursing Shikamaru while dragging him along.

Both jounins continued to walk but as they were passing by a dark alley, they heard some noises.

"Wait here, I'll look…be ready for attacks…" Kakashi said. Kurenai just nodded.

Kakashi, being the genius jounin he is expertly entered the alley without making a sound but what he saw almost made him want to puke. Neji and Tenten were there and the fact that they were there alone was quite surprising but the sight of them making out meant that hell was freezing over. But Kakashi being, well…Kakashi, calmly said, "so being sparring partners meant having lip lock sessions too?"

Both ninjas stopped what they were doing and looked at him, Tenten's face was of pure horror but the Hyuuga's face betrayed no emotions. Kakashi just turned around and while walking said, "don't worry, nobody will know."

"What was that?" Kurenai asked.

"Nothing, just some cat," he replied.

"Oh"

"…but it's really Neji and Tenten making out…" Kakashi added without warning.

"Oh"

_This day is so strange, _Kurenai thought.

And as if this wasn't the strangest day ever, both jounins saw Sakura and Sasuke in a tight embrace in the Sakura Park. Both stared and wondered how Sasuke could show so much emotion but Sasuke wasn't a prodigy for nothing, when he noticed that someone was looking at them, he opened his eyes and flashed the dreaded Sharingan to both jounins which meant: fuck off or die. Though both were not so intimidated by this gesture, they got the hint and continued their long walk home.

"The end of the world is near," Kurenai sighed.

Kakashi chuckled at this. "Nah, it's just adolescent hormones," he replied.

Finally both were in front of Kurenai's apartment.

"So…" Kurenai started.

"Thanks for letting me walk you home.."

"ok"

"ok"

But before Kakashi could walk away he hesitated and stopped and asked, "What's your relationship with Asuma?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Asuma, what is he to you?"

She suddenly brought her face close to his. He thought she was going to kiss him but she brought her lips to his ear instead and whispered, " only if you remove your mask and show me your face,"

**Damn!**

"I can't," he stated simply.

"You can't?"

"I can't," came another flat reply.

"Please?"

"No."

She turned around to face her apartment door. "Goodbye Kakashi, see you around," she said emotionlessly. She was already inserting her key in the keyhole.

_**Do it!**_

**What!**

_**Just do it!**_

**I can't!**

**_Why? This is your only chance, look she's about to enter._**

**But…**

_**Just do it!**_

**Damnit! Fine!**

"Uhhmm…Kurenai…"

**I'm mad!**

"What Kakashi?"

She still wasn't facing him

"Kurenai," he said a little louder.

**I'm crazy!**

"What?" she finally looked at him.

"I'll do it."

**I'm fucking insane!**

Kurenai smiled triumphantly.

In a painstakingly slow manner, Kakashi very, very, very, VERY slowly pulled off his mask.

Kurenai was speechless.

_This man is fucking gorgeous!_

Kakashi smiled at her reaction and without further warning kissed her; at first, it was gentle and questioning but as Kurenai parted her lips for entrance, it became more passionate. After some time, they stopped. Kurenai then brought back her lips to Kakashi's ear and said "He's just my friend, really just my friend."

**What? Oh!**

Kakashi was confused at first then finally remembered that she was answering his question.

"oh"

"Do you want to come in?"

"And continue what we were doing?" Kurenai blushed a hundred shades of red.

"Of course not, just for a cup of tea."

"Oh, okay."

"One last question. Why exactly did you ask?"

"Ask what?"

"About Asuma."

"It's not time for you to know."

"Huh?"

"In, time you'll know."

"Fine, if you say so."

They both entered Kurenai's apartment but before they could enter, Kakashi inaudibly whispered "because I'm madly in love with you," then he followed Kurenai inside.

---00000----

PLEASE REVIEW! This is my first naruto fanfic so no flames please.


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